Friday Facts #445 - The Biters Bite Back
EXPERIMENTALBiter expansion overhaul introduces larger, more relevantly placed enemy groups and a new radar-based alert for base construction.
Key Changes
- 1Expansion groups now scale from 10 to 80 units based on evolution and map settings
- 2New 'expansion base built' alert for structures built within active radar coverage
- 3Rewritten expansion heuristic prioritizes open areas and cleared territory over 'thickening' existing nests
- 4Base building cooldown increased to 30s (default) and 10s (Deathworld) to allow player intervention
- 5Fixed expansion worms spawning too close to player walls
- 6Resolved Pentapod expansion issues on Gleba
- 7Modding API now allows units to define specific entities they build
All Changes
👾Enemies(10)
- buffBiters: Expansion group size now increases based on the evolution factor.
- changeBiters: Expansion group size is now modified by the map generator biter base size.
- changeBiters: Expansion group size tuned to start at 10 (down from 20) and scale to a maximum of 80.
- changeBiters: Reduced the variance between minimum and maximum expansion group sizes.
- changeBiters: Rewrote the candidate chunk heuristic to ensure expansions occur in relevant open areas or cleared zones.
- changeBiters: Expansion timing and pressure made more consistent across explored territory.
- changeBiters: Base building cooldown changed from 5 ticks per HP to a static value.
- nerfBiters: Increased base building cooldown to 30 seconds for default settings.
- nerfBiters: Increased base building cooldown to 10 seconds for Deathworld settings.
- changeBiters: Reverted 'Biological caste' system; Biters and Spitters can both build Spawners and Worms to ensure a 50/50 split.
⚙️Gameplay Systems(1)
- newRadar: Added a new 'expansion base built' alert that triggers when a worm or spawner is built in a chunk with active radar coverage.
🛠️Modding(1)
- changeAPI: Units now explicitly define the entity they build during base expansion in the API.
🐛Bug Fixes(3)
- fixWorms: Fixed an issue where expansion party worms would spawn too close to player walls and defenses.
- fixPentapods: Resolved an issue where Pentapod expansion on Gleba was broken due to biter-related assumptions.
- fixWorms: Fixed a bug where early game expansions failed to spawn any worms.
Summary
Enemy Expansion Overhaul
Factorio v2.1 introduces a holistic review of the enemy expansion planner, a system largely untouched since 2013. The update focuses on making biter expansions feel more like a meaningful challenge rather than a nuisance. Expansion groups now scale in size based on the evolution factor and map generation settings, ensuring they remain a threat at higher technology levels. Additionally, the heuristic for choosing expansion locations has been rewritten to prioritize open areas and cleared territory, preventing early-game exploration from inadvertently nerfing enemy pressure.
Base Building Mechanics
The logic for how biters build new bases has been standardized. The previous dynamic cooldown (based on entity hitpoints) has been replaced with a static, tunable cooldown. This prevents late-game nests from building at glacially slow speeds and allows players a window of opportunity to intercept expansion parties.
Quality of Life & Modding
A significant new alert has been added to notify players when an expansion base is built within active radar coverage. For modders, the system has been opened up to allow individual units to define which entities they build, providing greater control for custom scenarios and overhaul mods.